Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville has strong opinions about the proper way to determine college football’s national champion.
“Any way you change it you’re going to have people that have a complaint, but I would be for just taking the top four teams at the end of the year and just having 1 vs. 4, 2 vs. 3,” said Tuberville, whose third-ranked Tigers would be in that mix at this point. “Then play the winner of those two in a big game, and everybody split a bunch of money 117 ways and just go about their business.”
Even with his scenario, he concedes, “You’re going to have No. 5, 6 and 7 saying, `How come I’m not in the top 4?”‘
Tuberville also feels coaches who vote in the ESPN/USA Today poll should have their picks made public.
“If you don’t want it made public, don’t vote,” he said. “I’m willing to have mine. If you’re willing to take on the responsibility of voting, you should be responsible for your vote.”
BCS bid on line
Football is a lot more fun these days for West Virginia. The 13th-ranked Mountaineers, winners of four straight, can clinch at least a share of the Big East title and a Bowl Championship Series bid with a win Saturday at home over Boston College.
Workhorse running back Kay-Jay Harris is healthy again, and quarterback Rasheed Marshall continues to be one of the most elusive players in the conference.
“Everything is falling into place right now,” Marshall said. “Everybody’s spirits are high.”
Unbeaten in the conference, the Mountaineers (8-1, 4-0) are also on the verge of their first BCS berth when they go up against an opponent where home field has meant everything. West Virginia leads the series with BC 9-3-1 and has not lost to the Eagles at Mountaineer Field. All of the Eagles’ wins have come in Boston.
Ranked with the best
Bowling Green quarterback Omar Jacobs leads the nation with 27 touchdown passes and ranks fourth in passing efficiency, a stellar debut for a player with a tough act to follow. The sophomore took over for Josh Harris, a three-year starter who ended a record-breaking career with Bowling Green in the Motor City Bowl.
“I’ll throw a bad ball and [teammates kid], `Josh would have made that throw,”‘ Jacobs said. “I just laugh at them and keep going.”
The Falcons’ offense hasn’t missed a beat this season, averaging 42 points and 492 yards. Jacobs has completed 70 percent of his passes and thrown only two interceptions for the Falcons (7-2, 5-1 Mid-American).
“I never really get rattled,” Jacobs said. “You never see me yelling or showing a lot of emotion on the field.”
Fighting for survival
Kansas State will try to keep alive its bid for a 12th straight bowl bid, and perhaps even the Big 12 North title, this weekend at Colorado. The Buffaloes (5-4, 2-4) also are in the hunt for the right to play in the Big 12 title game.
Iowa State and Nebraska (5-4, 3-3) are tied for first, and only Kansas (3-6, 1-5) is out of the running. Colorado coach Gary Barnett said he could foresee this considering the change in coaches at Nebraska, heavy player turnover at Kansas State, the Buffaloes’ off-field troubles and Missouri’s perceived rise.
“I think I saw this one coming back in the summer,” Barnett said. “It just felt that way. I sort of thought it was going to be crazy.”
Family ties
Arizona coach Mike Stoops doesn’t plan to act as an advance scout this weekend when the Wildcats visit No. 1 Southern California. Stoops is in his first year at Arizona after serving as co-defensive coordinator at Oklahoma for his brother, Bob. The second-ranked Sooners and Trojans are on track to meet in the BCS title game at the Orange Bowl if they can win out.
Mike Stoops would surely give advice to his older brother if needed but doesn’t know how helpful it would be.
“USC changes week to week,” he said. “They run their stuff from a variety of different ways. They are two very talented football teams that really have no great weaknesses. It would be a great matchup.”
Tough act to follow
No one said following Philip Rivers at North Carolina State would be easy. Jay Davis is finding out firsthand. The quarterback has thrown eight interceptions in the last two games. His struggles have played a large part in the Wolfpack’s three-game losing streak.
Said N.C. State coach Chuck Amato: “I said this before the first game, Jay could go 20-for-22 and people in the parking lot after the game would say, `Philip would have been 22-for-22.”‘
Extra points
Redshirt freshman Travis Bell has kicked nine consecutive field goals since missing the first attempt of his career and finds himself only one shy of the Georgia Tech record held by two-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference first-teamer Luke Manget. . . . Washington ranks last in five of the 24 statistical categories listed by the NCAA: scoring offense, pass efficiency, turnovers lost, fumbles lost and interceptions. . . . Illinois State’s game at Florida Atlantic, postponed by a hurricane, has been rescheduled for Nov. 20. . . . With 15 catches in his team’s loss to Akron, Marshall’s Josh Davis set the MAC record for career receptions with 286.
